I'll Never Find Another You
by MaverickLover2
Summary: Billy Sunday has been with Maude's forever. But when Billy takes a job in New Orleans, Bart must turn the day-to-day operation of the ranch over to Bret, and resume running Maude's . . . at least until he can find another Billy. Which may be impossible.
1. A Change is Gonna Come

I'll Never Find Another You

Chapter 1 – A Change is Gonna Come

I knew there was somethin' wrong as soon as I saw a rider approaching the house. And I was doubly sure of it when I saw just who it was . . . Billy Sunday. Billy had been with Maude's forever; he was General Manager and had worked himself up to that position over the years. Billy had a wife and two, no make that three kids. I'd done everything in my power over the years to make sure that Billy was well taken care of, and had no desire ever to leave the saloon. I had the awful feeling that his tenure was coming to an end.

I opened the front door in anticipation of his arrival. "Beautiful day, ain't it?" I asked, hoping against hope that I was wrong. I could tell from the look on Billy's face that I wasn't. He dismounted and climbed the steps, looking like a man that had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Bart, can we go inside?"

"Sure, Billy." I led him into my office and offered him a seat. "Want some sweet tea?"

He shook his head 'no.' " Bart, I've come to give you my notice. Sly Logan in New Orleans has offered me a job, and I just can't afford to pass it up."

"I'm real sorry to hear that, Billy. Is there anything I can do to persuade you to stay here?"

"Naw, Bart, Maude's isn't big enough to give me the same kind of deal that Sly's offered. A brand new house at no cost, and a big enough salary that Evan can stay home with the babies and money won't be a problem."

I sat there and looked at him for a minute; I'd always known this day would come sooner or later. "I'm happy for you., Billy, you sure deserve this."

"But . . . "

"You know what the but is. I hate like hell to lose you. I've worried about this day for a long time."

"Sorry, but it's just too good a deal to pass up. I can't give you a lotta time, either. Sly wants me down there on the first. Sorry to do that to ya, but he needs me sooner rather than later."

I nodded; I could see the predicament he was in. "Can you stay till the end of the week?"

"I can do that. Evan's tryin' to pack, but it's hard to do with three young 'uns runnin' around. If I stay till Saturday, I can give her some help."

"How long you figure it's gonna take you to get there?"

"At least two weeks. I got a Conestoga wagon, and if it don't fit in there it ain't goin.'"

"You're not goin' through Indian Territory, are you?"

"Nope. I'm drivin' the wagon to Houston and Sly's arranged for a flat-bed freighter to take her to New Orleans. I can't complain about that."

"Nope, sounds like you got a good deal. I just hope Logan appreciates you as much as I do."

"I sure wanna thank you, Bart, for everything you've done for us. All the trainin, and the benefits . . . I wouldn't have had this chance without you."

"Well, Billy, I wish you all the best." We shook hands. "I'll be in tomorrow to see just where things stand. You take care, now, and give my best to Evan."

"I will. Thanks again."

He gave me a lop-sided grin and mounted his horse. The man that was leavin' sure weighed less than the man that had arrived. Now all the weight was on my shoulders.

I wandered out into the kitchen. Lily Mae and Doralice were sittin' at the table drinkin' coffee. I went over and poured myself a cup. Doralice took one look at me and asked, "What's wrong, gamblin' man?"

"Oh, not much. Billy Sunday just gave me his notice. He's workin' through Saturday."

"Oh no. What are you gonna do?"

When Maude had married Pappy, she retired. That meant that the saloon was my responsibility. Billy did most of the day to day work, and I handled the monthly reports. With him gone, I was gonna haftta go back to workin' at Maude's daily until I could get somebody. Not a pleasant prospect. "Go back to work until I can find somebody, I guess. I don't see that I've got any other choice."

"What about Jody? You said she was gettin' tired of the winters up there."

"Jody would move down here in a hot second. I ain't so sure about Beckham. We've already got a pretty good doctor, you know." I, of course, was thinking about Simon Petry.

"Last time you came home from seein' Simon you said he was thinkin' about takin' on a partner. Who better than Beck? And it would give Beck the same kinda setup he's got in Silver Creek."

She had a point. "Good idea, blue-eyes. I'll talk to Simon tomorrow when I go into Little Bend and see what he's got to say. If he's receptive, I can float the idea to him and Jody. Wouldn't that be somethin'?" We had to figure out what to do with the house in Little Bend; Maude had given it to us when we got married. "They could buy the house for cheap."

Doralice chuckled. "At least it'd be somebody not livin' on the ranch."

"Ain't that the truth."

"And it'd be somebody I wouldn't hafta take care of."

I looked at Lily Mae. "You've got that right." She was responsible for too many people as it was.

"Alright," I told the ladies, "that sounds like a plan." I finished my coffee and got up from the table. "I guess I better go down and tell Bret he's in charge as of tomorrow." Wouldn't he be thrilled?

XXXXXXXX

Actually, he took it better than I expected him to. Considerin' I'd just turned his life upside down. "Can Doralice keep doin' the ranch books like she's doin'? And how about Maudie?"

"Yep, I don't see any reason why they can't keep helpin' out. We'll have to wait and see how long I'm gonna hafta be at Maude's. Less time, obviously, if Jody and Beck decide to come down. I won't have to break somebody in."

"When are you gonna talk to Simon?"

"Tomorrow," I told him. "I'm goin' to Little Bend to see what's goin' on at Maude's and I'll stop off and see him. Ya know, this may not work. It all depends on Simon and Beckham."

"You think Jody will be happy to move down here?" Bret looked at me kind of skeptically.

"Yeah, I do. She told me in her last letter that she was sick to death of the winters up there, and she'd love to be down here with all her kin. I took that to mean she wants to come."

"Sure sounds that way. Now I guess it's up to Simon and Beck. Except, how's it gonna feel that she's not the absolute voice of authority? I mean, she'll answer to you."

"And I'm so hard to get along with. She knows what she's doin'; I ain't gonna be lookin' over her shoulder. All she has to do is bring me the weekly reports and make a profit, and we'll get along just fine. I ain't got time for Maude's and the ranch. Far as I'm concerned, the saloon will belong to Jody."

"How's Maude gonna feel about that?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "She's already told me that Maude's was mine to do with as I see fit. Well, I see fit to give it to Jody. Assuming she and Beck and the kids will make the move."

That was as far as the discussion went. Just like Maude's had been run by Billy, the B Bar M was run by Lucien. I knew that, Bret knew it, and I think the only one that didn't know it was Lucien.

I got up the next morning and got dressed in proper clothes to be sittin' in Maude's and walkin' the floor at night. I went down to the barn and found that Lucien had already saddled Baron for me. "Good luck today, boss," he told me, and I laughed.

"Just don't let Bret do anything drastic," I instructed him.

"What do you consider drastic?" he asked me.

"Oh, firing Dandy, selling all the stock, changing the way all the reports are done. You know, drastic."

"Okay boss, I got it. See you tonight."

"Late tonight," I reminded him, and Baron and me took off for Little Bend. I hoped everything went well, and that I wasn't misinterpreting Jody's letters. Because if I was, I was gonna have a long stretch ahead of me. And I sure wasn't lookin' forward to that.


	2. The New Billy Sunday

Chapter 2 – The New Billy Sunday

"Seems just like old times, don't it boss?" Willie asked as I walked into Maude's.

"I'm too old for it to seem like old times, Willie," was my reply. Willie pulled out my old mug and filled it full of coffee.

"That's a real shame, ain't it? Workin' with Billy's been almost as good as workin' for you."

I let loose with a laugh and walked back to Billy's office, then groaned as I walked into the room. Billy was already behind the desk working. "Not lookin' forward to this, Mister Sunday."

Billy looked up from his work and grinned. "Get used to sleepin' late, Mister Maverick?"

"I will admit to that. Sure you won't reconsider?"

"Sorry, Bart, I can't do that. But I did just finish the weekly report, so you don't have to cope with that."

"Thank God for small favors. At least I don't have to look at that first thing this mornin'."

Billy shook his head. "No, you don't. I've paid all the outstanding bills and got the bank deposit ready to go with last night's receipts. What else did you want to look at?"

He was about three steps ahead of me. "Anything you haven't done?"

"Washed the windows, but I can do that if you want me to."

"Billy, how am I ever gonna replace you?" The only hope I had was that Jody hated the winters so bad that she and Beck would move down here. Otherwise, I looked forward to the long and arduous process of trying to replace somebody who was irreplaceable. "Listen, I gotta go talk to Doc Petry. When I come back we'll go over everything, alright?"

"Sure, boss. Better drink some more of that coffee to stay awake. There ain't nothin' interesting in these reports."

I headed back towards the batwing doors and heard Willie call out, "Leavin' so soon, boss?"

"Just keep the coffee hot. I'll be back."

I walked up the boardwalk towards Simon Petry's office. I'd known Simon for a good number of years; he'd saved Pappy's life once, and later on he saved mine. He was the one that got Doralice through a difficult delivery of our son Tim, and ultimately prevented her from bleeding to death. I can't count the number of gunshot wounds he nursed me through. So I was going to talk to, not just the town doctor, but a longtime friend. As always, the door was unlocked, and I found Simon in his office reading a medical book. He looked me up and down before pronouncing, "You look healthy. Am I to assume this is a personal call?" Then he grinned.

"A very personal call," I replied. "You still thinkin' about takin' on a partner?"

"I would if I could find one. Why?"

"What if I told you I knew of the perfect person?"

"Sit down and talk to me, Mr. Maverick." So I sat and told him about Beckham Dooley, M.D. Then I told him about Jody, and the potential reason for them to relocate to Little Bend. I could tell that he was, to say the least, intrigued. "How soon would this be happening, Bart?"

"As soon as I can convince her to take the job," was my reply. "I wanted to see how you felt about a partner before I said anything to Beck. Why, you got a timetable?"

"No, but I'd like it to happen sooner rather than later. I'm getting' too old to be keepin' this kind of hours."

"Alright, if you're in favor of a partner, I'll wire Jody right away and see if I can't get 'em here in a hurry."

I went to Western Union and carefully worded a telegram. _'Dearest Jody, You hate the winters in Silver Creek. Sell the Four Mavericks and move to Little Bend. You can run Maude's and there's a partnership with Doctor Simon Petry waiting for Beckham. Please let me know when you can get here. Love, Bart.'_

It was long, but that was necessary. I walked back down to Maude's, whistling, and waited happily for Jody's reply.

XXXXXXXX

I spent the next few hours with Billy, going over everything he did that I didn't have to do. When it was time for him to go home I was ready to walk the floor and see who was tryin' to do what. I was surprised I hadn't heard from Jody yet, but then I assumed she'd want to discuss it with Beck before coming to a decision. It was a quiet night and I had Willie close everything down about two in the morning and I went home, exhausted. Maybe I could find a floor manager until Jody got to Little Bend, then I wouldn't have to be there all day and all night.

I tried to be as quiet as I could; I didn't want to wake Doralice. I didn't have to worry. She was already awake. "How'd it go, gamblin' man?"

"Like always, honey. Nothin' exciting and I'm worn out. I need a temporary floor manager."

"What about Logan Donovan?"

"Logan Donovan?" The name was vaguely familiar, but that was all.

"Yeah, he used to work at 'Miss Lily's' over in Ashton. Don't you remember? He came to Little Bend about a year ago when 'Lily's' closed."

"You think he's still here?"

"I know he is. I ran into him the last time I went to town."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"He told me he was over on South Street, right in back of the livery. He's workin' there, part-time."

"Sounds like a great idea. Thanks, blue-eyes. Hey, what are you doin'?"

"What do you think I'm doin'?"

Guess I wasn't as tired as I thought I was.

XXXXXXXX

The next day I went lookin' for Logan Donovan. He wasn't hard to find; I went straight to the livery and got his address. There was no answer when I knocked on the door, so I left him a note and asked him to come by Maude's.

About two o'clock Willie came back to the store room where I was checkin' out the inventory to let me know that Donovan was there to see me. I went out to the bar and met him, then took him back to one of the empty offices. He was a tall man, about my size, and huskier. He looked like the kind of man you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

He was older than me, and darker. Dark hair, dark eyes, darker skin. He wore a full beard and a mustache, both of which were neatly trimmed. He had a firm handshake and a soft voice, but his eyes told you he was a man not to be trifled with. I asked him what kind of experience he had in a saloon and he'd been both a floor and day manager. "Logan, this job could turn out be temporary. Then again, it could be permanent. How would you feel about a temporary position?"

"Mr. Maverick, I'm tired of smellin' horse manure. I'd take anything you had to offer and be happy with it."

"You have an appropriate wardrobe?"

"I do. You have any rules against anything?"

"As far as clothes? Nope, all I ask is a clean shirt and a jacket. How soon could you start?"

"Is tomorrow too soon?"

I laughed at that. "No. Come in tomorrow at three o'clock and I'll take you through the procedures. You haven't asked about salary."

He smiled. "You don't pay in horse dung, do you?"

"Nope, we try to be fair. Billy's been here several years, and Willie's been here longer than that. You're welcome to ask either one of them if we pay fair wages."

"That's alright. I'm sure you pay better than the livery."

"That we do. Alright, then, you're hired. I'll see you tomorrow at three."

"Yes, sir. And thank you."

I had a good feeling about Logan Donovan.


	3. At This Time

Chapter 3 – At This Time

It was late the next day when we had the chance to stop for a few minutes. Breaking in a new man is always had work, and I think it's worse when you're training someone to take over a job you did for years. Logan was a quick learner, so that made things easier.

"What brought you to Little Bend?" I finally asked him.

"I liked the town. Everybody was friendly, and the country was beautiful. And then there was the prospect of being able to work for Bart Maverick at Maude's someday."

"Why didn't you come see me?" It was a question that was bothering me.

"I did. I talked to Mr. Sunday, and he said you didn't need anybody. That's when I went to work for the livery. I kept hopin' something would open up here, but I never heard anything until you came lookin' for me. That was a present from heaven."

"No, more like a present from Doralice. She told me she'd run into you and suggested I go see you. You're gonna save me from workin' sunup to sundown."

Willie came over with two cups of coffee and Donovan laughed. "Willie told me you drank that stuff like it was water. I was a little skeptical. Not anymore."

"Yeah, I been this way my whole life. We always have a fresh pot goin'. It makes a difference when you don't drink liquor. So tell me, how much experience have you had catchin' card cheats?" We talked for another few minutes and then I gave Logan some practical experience at spottin' somethin' funny goin' on. Like I said before, he was a quick learner so it didn't take much time for him to catch on. I was gonna stay with him tonight, but the way he was goin' I felt good about lettin' him out on his own tomorrow night.

We were just about gettin' ready to get some supper when Johnny from Wells Fargo came runnin' in. "Telegram for you, Mr. Maverick," he reported as he handed it to me. I tipped him and tore it open. I expected it to be Jody's agreement to come live in Little Bend. It was from Jody, alright, but it sure wasn't what I expected.

'_Dearest Bart, I regret to inform you that Beck and I cannot come to Little Bend at this time. There are extenuating circumstances that I will explain at a later date. I will be in touch soon. Love, Jody.'_

I was broken hearted and it must have shown on my face because Logan asked, "Bad news?"

"Yeah," I told him, "it is. But good news for you. The night Floor Manager job is yours permanently."

Now I had to start looking for a daytime manager. And I had to tell Simon.

XXXXXXXX

We went to Sawyer's for supper, though I didn't eat much. When we were finished I sent Logan back to Maude's and went to see Simon by myself. He was just finishing up with a patient, so I sat in his office and tried to figure out what Jody meant by the phrase 'at this time.' I was hoping it meant they could come later, but that's not exactly what my cousin said. When Simon came into the office he didn't have to ask me what was wrong, he could read me like a book.

"Not coming?" I handed him the telegram and let him read it for himself. "Sounds like there's something preventing them from coming right now. Any idea what that might be?"

I shook my head. "Not a clue. Unless there's somethin' delayin' Beck."

"Now what?"

"Now I have to find me a manager. Soon as I figure out where to start."

"How about running an ad in The Gazette?"

"There's a thought." I sat there for a minute, trying to figure out what to say in an advertisement. "Well, no sense my takin' up any more of your time. If I find out exactly what Jody meant I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Bart."

"My pleasure, Simon."

I left Simon's office and headed for The Gazette, on the other side of the street and down a few buildings. When I walked in Josh Greenburg was setting type and Marty Pickens was at the front desk. "Good evening, Mr. Maverick. What are you doin' here so late?"

"Working, Marty. I need to place an ad in the paper."

"Sure. Know what you want to say?" Marty got up from behind the desk and came over to the counter, pen and paper in hand. He'd bought the paper from Carey Millburn when Carey decided to move back to Boston.

"I think so_. 'Position at Maude's Saloon, Day Manager wanted, must be familiar with operations. See Bart Maverick at Maude's for further details.'_

"I can save you some money if you'll let me reword it."

I was all for that. "Sure, Marty, go ahead."

'_Manager at Maude's saloon, experience required. Bart Maverick at Maude's.' _"See, that's forty cents cheaper."

"Sounds good, Marty. What do I owe you?"

"Seventy-five cents, Mr. Maverick. That'll run all week. You want it to run another week, just let me know."

"Thanks. Let's hope I get somebody. And Marty, call me Bart."

"Good luck, Bart."

I went across the street and back to Maude's. Logan was watching one of the roulette wheels. "Any trouble, Logan?"

"Nope, Bart, peaceful as could be. Why don't you go on home? You look worn out."

"Think you can handle it the rest of the night?"

Logan chuckled softly. "Not much night left. And I think with Willie's help, I'll be fine."

"Alright, sounds like a good idea." I had to smile to myself. I like the way Logan handled himself. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

I stopped at the bar to see what Willie had to say. "Seems like he knows what he's doin', boss. Caught four finger Herman cheatin' and threw him out. Been real quiet, otherwise. We can close up, go get some sleep."

"See you in the mornin' Willie." I started for the door and turned around. "Don't you go gettin' any ideas about leavin'."

"Don't worry, boss. You're stuck with me."

"Goodnight."

"Night, boss."

I went outside to unhitch Baron and he looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "I know it's late. Let's go home, big boy."

It didn't take too long to get home and once again I found Doralice awake and waitin' for me. "Did you hear from Jody?" was the first question she asked. Then she looked at my face. "Oh, no. Did she say why they weren't comin'?"

"Nope. Just they couldn't come at this time. Whatever that means."

"Hmm. I wonder."

"What? You know why they wouldn't come?"

"I've got an idea. I'll let you know if I'm right." I almost crashed into the bed, I was so tired, and Doralice snuggled up to me. I put my arms around her, and that was about all I could do. Within seconds I was sound asleep.


	4. Bad Night in Jericho

Chapter 4 – Bad Night in Jericho

I spent the next two days with Billy, going over everything he did. I'd already spent almost a whole day with him, but there were some things I wasn't comfortable with anymore and I wanted to make sure I got them right. In the afternoon when Logan came in, I switched from day manager to night manager and spent time with him. I taught him the fine art of cheating at poker, then I taught him how to catch someone cheating. I showed him how men could cheat with the roulette wheel. It was mostly dealers you had to watch out for.

He knew how to play faro, but he didn't know how to cheat at it. Again, it was mostly the dealers you had to watch. We'd spent the evening going over his duties and the reports I needed from him, and once again I was struck by how quickly he caught on to everything. I took him to Mamacitas for supper, and we spent a pleasant hour telling each other our life stories. Or in my case, a very condensed version of it. He had a sister back in Michigan, and his mother was still alive and living in Arizona. He got over to see her as often as he could. He'd had an older brother that was killed in the war, and I could tell it was still a sore point with him. He'd never been married. I asked him if he wanted to be, and he was honest with his answer. "Not particularly. I like my life just the way it is. Don't have to answer to anybody for anything. As long as I've got a roof over my head and a good horse, I'm a happy man."

The more we talked, the more I liked him. He was humble and down to earth, and I invited him out to the ranch for supper on Sunday. I told him about all the kids, and he got a kick out of Lily Beth's fascination with anything that jumped or hopped. That fascination had caused us a problem one time, but that's a tale better told elsewhere. He was a hard worker, and like I said before, he caught on real quick to whatever I was trying to teach him. There didn't seem to be any pretense or phoniness about him, and he was real easy to talk to.

I don't know. Maybe I was just looking for a friend, somebody to take Anderson Garrett's place. I missed Anderson; missed writing letters to him and getting long and informative replies from him. But I'd gotten along with Logan from the start; it was easy, like the feelings I had around Bret. Maybe I was missin' Bret, too, because he and Beau had gotten closer, with Beau living right next door. I didn't resent it, I just missed my brother. Don't get me wrong, nobody was ever gonna take Bret's place in my life or my heart, but it was nice to have somebody that I got along with and to be around him every day.

We were walking back from Mamacitas when everything began to go wrong. I heard shouting; one of the voices I recognized. It was Willie's. I took off running, Logan close on my heels. When I reached the batwing doors of Maude's I stopped in a hurry. Willie and Billy Sunday were both behind the bar, hands up in the air, and I wasn't sure what was goin' on. Slowly I realized that the man standing in front of them at the bar had a bandana across his face and his gun out, pointed right at them. The shouting had stopped, and it sounded like Willie was trying to talk him out of robbin' the place. I pulled my gun and went in.

"That's not a wise idea, mister." I kept my voice soft and steady, as non-threatening as I could. It didn't do any good, the would-be robber turned in my direction. Lookin' back on it now, I knew he was gonna shoot. Willie lunged across the bar, right at the masked man, and they struggled for the gun. Before I could do anything the gun went off and Willie caught the shot right in his belly. "NO!" I yelled and the robber fled out the doors, right past me into Logan's open arms. I crouched on the floor and cradled Willie in my arms while Billy ran for the doctor. "You hold on, Willie," I begged him and he smiled up at me.

"I don't think I can, boss."

"Damn it, Willie, you promised you wouldn't leave me."

"Sorry, boss, I couldn't let him shoot ya."

Just about that time Simon got there, and he shoved me out of the way. I walked back outside, where Logan was turnin' the hold-up man over to Dave Parker, who seemed like he'd been the sheriff forever. "Anybody hurt?" he asked as he slapped the cuffs on the robber.

"Yeah, Dave, Willie got it in the belly. Simon's with him now."

"How bad is it?"

"Keep a tight grip on that Jasper, we might be watchin' him dance at the end of a rope."

"Bart, I need your help," Simon yelled from behind the bar. I hurried back there. "Help me get Willie down to my office."

Billy grabbed his shoulders and I grabbed his legs and we carried Willie down the street to Simon's. I knew it was bad but Willie was still alive, and that was the important thing. "You gotta save him, Simon," I pleaded, and Simon looked at me with sorrowful eyes.

"I'll do my best, Bart," he told me as we laid Willie on Simon's exam table, "but I'm not promising anything. Get on out of here now. You can't do anything for Willie and I need to concentrate on what I'm doing. I'll send Mrs. Hacket down when it's over."

I never said anything. I think I was in shock. "Do you want me to close Maude's?" Billy asked me.

"Yeah," I told him, "then you and Logan can go on home."

"Got nothin' waitin' for me at home," Logan stated. He'd joined us at Simon's. "I'm goin' back up to wait for Willie."

"Then that makes two of us," I answered.

"Make that three," Billy added. "Bart, I've got a spare shirt in my office. You better change into it or you'll scare Doralice to death when you go home tonight." That's when I looked down. I was full of Willie's blood.

"Alright. Let's go back down to the saloon and I'll help you lock up."

"I'll go with you," Logan volunteered. "I can clean up the place while you change."

So the three of us headed for Maude's, shaken to the core. Willie had probably saved my life by distracting the shooter, and for his trouble he got a bullet in the belly. All I could do now was pray that Simon could find the damn thing and get it out.

Willie had been with me forever, and I couldn't imagine tryin' to run Maude's without him. Not after already losing Billy. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't he let the robber take his shot, instead of tryin' to protect me? Damn fool would probably have missed, anyway. Those were only some of the thoughts that kept runnin' through my head while I changed shirts. But the predominant thoughts that I kept havin' were of Willie. Always with a smile, a cheerful greeting, callin' me 'boss' and actin' like he was glad to see me. Right now I'd have gladly changed places with him; I couldn't feel any worse than I did.

Billy took one look at me, grabbed me by the elbow and spun me around. "Don't go thinkin' that way, Bart. You didn't do anything wrong. It was Willie's choice to jump the guy, not yours."

"Know me pretty well, don't you?" I shot back at him.

"I do, by God. You're always tryin' to blame yourself when somethin' happens to somebody. You didn't do anything to cause this, and I don't see how you could have prevented it."

Billy had never talked to me like that, and it made me listen to him. He was right, I hadn't caused it. The only thing that mattered now was Willie. We needed to get back to Simon's office.


	5. The Boss

Chapter 5 – The Boss

I was stunned to find Parker sittin' in Simon's waiting room. "What are you doin' here, Dave?" I asked.

"Don't look so surprised. Willie and me are good friends. Many a night when there was nothin' goin' on for either one of us, we'd spend the night standin' at the bar, talkin'."

"So that's where all the whiskey was goin," I remarked.

"Very funny. You know neither one of us drinks enough to talk about."

"Any word?" I wondered.

"None yet. At least we haven't had bad news."

"That's good," Billy remarked.

Logan, me and Billy sat down with Dave and waited for some word on Willie. It was two or three hours before the door opened and Simon came out. "Please give us good news," I begged.

"Better than I expected, to tell you the truth," Simon told us. "I got the bullet out and he's resting. I won't say comfortably, because that's probably the wrong word, but he's got a good chance now."

"Can we go in and see him?" Parker asked, a hopeful look on his face.

"One at a time for five minutes. No more. I don't want him completely worn out. Don't do or say anything that will upset him."

I looked at Parker. "You go first, Dave."

"Thanks, Bart." Dave followed Simon back, while the three of us sat back down.

"That's good news," Billy sighed heavily.

"The best," I smiled happily. It was only slowly starting to dawn on me that I was in deep trouble. I had no day manager, my night man was relatively green, and my only bartender had just been shot. What was I gonna do now?

None of that was on my mind when I went in to see my friend. "Oh Lord," Willie muttered when he caught sight of me.

"You scared me to death," I softly scolded him. "Don't ever do that again."

"Sorry, boss," he murmured in response.

"Willie, why do you call me boss rather than Bart?"

"Habit," he answered, looking straight in my eyes.

"Have you got anybody that can take care of you?"

"My sister lives with me. She has for years. Guess she'll have to get a job now that I won't be bringing any money in."

"You don't worry about that. I'll pay your full salary while you're not workin.' It's the least I can do for you savin' my life." The smile on his face told me all I needed to know. I leaned down and whispered to him, "Old friend. Thank you." When I straightened up I told him, "I'm gonna go now. There's two more out there that want to see you. You need anything, you tell me. I'll be back tomorrow." I patted him gently on the shoulder and left.

I let Logan and Billy know I was out of there and went straight to Simon's office. "Thanks for lettin' us in to see him. You send the bills to me, no matter how much they are. He needs anything, you get it for him, and don't pay any attention to him if he argues with you. Are we clear on that?"

Simon saluted me smartly. "Yes, sir, we're clear." He gestured towards the chair. "Sit down for a minute, Bart. I want to talk to you."

"Uh, oh. What did I do now?"

"Nothing much yet, but you can't go on like this. It wasn't so bad when you were just sitting in with Billy. Now you're doing that and training Logan, and you just lost your bartender. We're not as young as we used to be, and you're going to wear yourself out. I don't want to see you kill yourself trying to do everything at once."

"Don't worry, Simon, I'm not gonna try to. I'm gonna see if Doralice will take Willie's place until I can get somebody to fill in while he's gone."

"How long do you think that will last until somebody makes a rude remark and you get shot, or you shoot somebody?"

"It only has to last a couple days. Somebody in this town has to be lookin' for work."

"Alright, you come see me in a week. I want to take a look at you."

I stood up to go. "Yes, Mother."

"One week, Mr. Maverick."

"Alright, Simon. Quit fussin' at me."

I headed for the front door. Billy was sittin' out front. "I sent Logan in first," he told me.

"Let's put up a sign. We'll keep it closed tomorrow. And don't come in until noon. I mean it. Tell Logan to meet us at two and we'll go get a late lunch and then visit Willie. Bosses orders."

Billy nodded. "Thanks, boss."

"I'm goin' home. Goodnight."

"Night, Bart."

It was a long ride for me. Oh, not in miles, just in the feelings I was having. I hated what had happened to Willie, and I hated it even more that it had happened because he was tryin' to keep me from gettin' shot. I did some prayin', too, that Willie weathered this and came through it without too many problems. And that we would all get through without any more things goin' wrong.

When I got home Doralice was up and waitin' for me. Maybe she sensed somethin' wrong; I don't know. She took one look at me and threw her arms around me. "What happened?"

"Willie got shot protectin' me," I told her, then sighed.

"How bad?"

"Bad. In the gut. Simon operated and got the bullet out, but you know how that is. We just have to pray that no infection sets in."

"What are you gonna do for a bartender?"

I took a big risk and hoped that she'd understand. "How would you like to go back to work until I can find a bartender?"

"Whatever you need, babe."

What I needed right now were my wife's arms around me.


	6. Slave Driver

Chapter 6 – Slave Driver

We took the buggy into town the next day. It had taken me a minute to wrap my head around it when I first saw Doralice; it had been a long time since she'd worn one of the dresses she kept from her days working at Maude's. First of all, I was amazed that they still fit; nothing I had at that time in my life did. Second of all, I had forgotten how provocative they were. I spent the morning praying that some drunken cowboy didn't make a remark that was outta line, or did somethin' worse.

"You have to wear that, huh?" I asked in a rather petulant manner.

"Shall I wear one of my house dresses?" She asked, a little snappish. I guess I couldn't blame her; I was being ridiculous and we both knew it.

"No, Doralice, I know why you wore it." The idea was to make the cowboys hang around longer and buy more liquor. I walked past her and swept her into my arms, planting the biggest kiss on her I could manage. "I just hope I can keep my hands off you today."

As we broke apart, she smiled. "Nice to know I still have that effect on you."

"Always," I replied.

Anyway, we headed into town and went straight to the saloon. There was still some work that needed to be done from the day before and I wanted to get it cleaned up before Billy and Logan arrived. I locked the doors behinds us and saw Billy's sign. _'Closed until 6 p.m.' _I headed for the back office and Doralice headed for the coffee pot.

By noon I'd gotten everything finished from the day before. Billy arrived on time and Logan was right behind him. "You weren't supposed to be here until two o'clock," I told Logan.

"I never could tell time," Logan smiled back at me.

"Alright, since everybody's here, let's go back to the office. Doralice, is that coffee fresh?"

"Yes sir, I just finished with it."

"Good, bring the pot." Billy and me grabbed cups and Logan brought the fixin's. We all got coffee and everyone took a seat. "Tomorrow's Billy's last day. I'll be takin' over the day time job, Doralice will be on the bar, and Logan will be the Floor Manager at night. The books are up to date, so all I have to deal with is the previous night's receipts and the day to day inventory." Billy laughed here, and I joined him. We both knew better than to believe that. "Alright, we know that things are bound to come up, but we'll handle them. I'm gonna be lookin' for a General Manager, but the pickin's are slim, so it could be a while before I find one.

"Billy, you've done an outstanding job in your time here with Maude's. Maude and me wanted to let you know how we feel about your whole family, so here's somethin' we thought might help." I handed him a check for five hundred dollars and we shook hands. Then he looked at the check and gasped.

"Bart, this is too much."

I shook my head. "No, Billy, it ain't enough to show you what we think of you. Things don't work out in New Orleans, you come on back here. You've got a job any time you want one."

Billy looked at me and I could see the gratitude in his eyes. "I . . . I don't know what to say."

Doralice smiled and gave him a hug. "Thank you always works well."

He nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Bart."

"Anybody check on Willie this morning?" I asked.

"I did," Logan answered. "Doc Petry says he's doin' good."

"That's good. What say we go visit Willie first?"

Everyone agreed, so we set off for Simon's office. Mrs. Hacket was out front and looked a little overwhelmed when we came in the door all at once. And she gave Doralice a disapproving look. "I take it you're all here to see Mr. James."

"Yes, ma'am, we are. How is he?" I asked in my best church-going voice.

"He's improving. Doctor Petry said you can go in two at a time, for just a few minutes."

I turned to Billy. "You and Logan go on in. Me and Doralice will follow."

They were gone for about ten minutes, and Billy had a smile on his face when they came out. "Looks a whole lot better than he did last night. Are we goin' to Sawyer's or Mamacita's for lunch? We can go get a table and get drinks ready."

"Let's go to Sawyer's, and ask if we can have that back room."

"I'll do my best."

Doralice and me went back to see Willie, and Billy was right. He looked way better than he had last night. "Mrs. Boss, it sure is nice to see you. Are you playin' bartender?"

"I am, Willie. I owe you a big 'thank you' for what you did last night."

"Couldn't let the boss get shot."

"Willie . . . " I started, but Doralice cut me off.

"We're grateful to you, and we hope you feel better soon."

"I took your check over to your sister. She's a sweet lady. I told her she could expect the same thing every week as long as you're laid up and she seemed grateful. As soon as you're able, we want to have you and Violet out to the house for supper. And you can't say no, Willie, because Violet already accepted. How could you not tell us about her after all these years?"

"I figured I was there to listen, boss, not talk."

Willie kind of moaned and Doralice looked at me. "Time to go, Bart. Willie needs his rest."

"Yes, ma'am. You see who the real boss is, don't you, Willie?"

"No comment, boss."

I patted Willie's shoulder. "Don't you worry about anything, Willie. You just get well." We went outside and passed Dave Parker goin' in.

"How's he doin'?" Dave asked me.

"Pretty good, Dave. A lot better than last night." We walked on up to the restaurant and Sawyer herself took us to the back room, where Billy and Logan were waiting for us.

Sawyer took one look at Doralice and said, "Well, there goes my business tonight."

Doralice laughed and Logan gave her a funny look. I had to explain. "The ranch hands will all be down at Maude's lookin' at Doralice."

"How's Willie?" Sawyer asked.

"He's doin' good," Billy told her.

"When are you and Evan leaving?"

"A week from today. We spend the next week packing, and then we're gone."

"What are you gonna do without him, Bart?"

That's a question that I'd been askin' myself all week. "I don't know, Sawyer. And then with Willie out and Logan brand new . . . "

"We'll manage," Doralice sounded sure of herself.

"Well, Billy, since tomorrow is your last day of work, your meal is on the house. You've given me more than enough business over the years. What's Evan doin' with the bakery?"

"Don't worry, Sawyer, it ain't closin'. Evan's sister Lidia is takin' over, at least for the time being. That's what I meant to tell you, Bart, nothin's gonna change with the deliveries that Maude's gets. Lidia will honor the agreement you've got with Evan."

"Good, that's one thing I don't have to worry about. Logan, you haven't lived until you've had one of the sweet rolls that Evan and Lidia produce." Just talkin' about them, I could almost taste them.

"I'll have to get over there and try one. With money bein' as thin as it was, I couldn't afford 'em. "

"Boy, I remember what that's like." Many a day there was only enough money for one meal. Especially if I'd had a bad night at the poker tables the night before. When I thought about it, it seemed so long ago; and then again it seemed like just yesterday.

We ordered lunch and had a really enjoyable meal. When we were finished I gave Billy a hug and sent him home to help Evan with the kids. What was he gonna get done the rest of the day, anyway? I'd finished up yesterday's work this mornin', and we didn't have anything due yet today except inventory, and I could have Logan do that, to get familiar with all the different liquor we sold.

The three of us walked back down the boardwalk to Maude's, and I removed the closed sign and unlocked the doors. For the first five minutes we didn't have any customers, and then as word spread that Doralice was behind the bar again, the men slowly drifted in. I couldn't blame them, she was still a terrific lookin' woman.

I went back to the office and started work on the books for the ranch. I couldn't ask my wife to tend bar and handle the bookwork for the ranch, so I was gonna do it. I started workin' on it and before I knew it, it was time to close up. I'd spent all afternoon and evening on ranch work, and I was whipped. I locked the office and went out front; there was one man talkin' to Logan and nobody at the bar. "Let's call it a night," I told Logan and Doralice, and to the man talkin' to Logan, I added," We're closed for the night, sir." He nodded and left, and I locked the doors behind him.

Doralice looked like I felt; exhausted. "Goin' down to the Gazette tomorrow and advertise for a bartender," I told her, and she smiled.

"I think that's a good idea," she agreed. "Logan, don't you know anybody that could tend bar?"

He shook his head. "Not here in Little Bend."

"Anybody that would be willing to move here?"

"Now there's somethin' I hadn't considered. There is one person that might. If you'll both indulge me, I'll send a telegram tomorrow and see what I can find out."

"Alright. Logan, you come in at three tomorrow. I'm serious, not before. Honey, let's go home." I took my wife's hand and locked the door behind us as we stepped outside. "I'll drive the buggy."

"Alright. Goodnight, Logan."

"Night, Mrs. Maverick."

"Doralice, please."

"Night, Doralice. Goodnight, Bart."

"Night, Logan. Remember, three o'clock."

"Right, boss." We all laughed at that one.

On the way home, Doralice asked me, "How long do you intend to keep this up?"

"Keep what up?"

"Don't play dumb with me, gamblin' man. Workin' two jobs."

There was no sense arguin' with her. "As long as I have to, blue-eyes. As long as I have to."


	7. Wishin' & Hopin' & Waitin' & Prayiin'

Chapter 7 – Wishin' and Hopin' and Waitin' and Prayin'

So I got myself down to The Gazette offices and placed an ad for a bartender. I sent a telegram to Claytonville and placed an ad in their paper, too. Just in case. I was hopin' that Logan had somebody that might be willin' to move to Little Bend. I couldn't promise them the position of head bartender, but I could promise a full-time job.

I went back to the saloon and worked on paperwork for the B Bar M. How could there be so much in just one day? But there was, and it kept me busy thru lunch and on into late afternoon. Logan had come in and ducked his head in the office to let me know he was there. I finally finished an hour later and went out to the bar to see what kind of sandwiches Lidia left today for her delivery from the bakery. I snagged a chicken sandwich on some kind of roll and got a cup of coffee from Doralice to go with it. I took 'em both back to the office and started on the bank deposit for the saloon. Logan picked it up about an hour later and took it to the bank. I was worn out but had the rest of the saloon work to do.

I struggled on all evening, taking one break to come out and get some more coffee. Doralice had a whole flock of admirer's hangin' out at the bar and Logan was keeping a close eye on them. My wife told me there was one man who wanted to apply for the bartender job, but he'd never done that kind of work before. The ad in the paper specifically stated that I required an experienced bartender. I talked to Logan briefly, but he hadn't heard back yet from the person he wired.

I went back to workin' on the weekly reports for Maude, who would be lookin' over 'em since I was preparin' 'em. Before I knew it Doralice was standing in my office doorway. "Bart, honey, it's time to close up."

"Huh? Already?" I pulled out my watch and looked at it. Three o'clock in the morning! Where had the day gone? "I'm comin'." We closed up and I locked the doors. I was so tired I asked Doralice to drive home. I could only hope that tomorrow would be better than today.

But it wasn't. For one thing, we hadn't cleaned up last night. Tables had to be moved, chairs rearranged, and dirty glasses had to be washed. By the time we opened I was already exhausted, and I hadn't even started the day's work yet. So I tried something different today. I did the saloons work first. That seemed to work a little better, and I had everything done, including the bank deposit, by the time Logan got there at three. The work for the ranch was light and I sent Doralice home at six o'clock. She looked completely worn out.

I took off my jacket, rolled up my sleeves, and stepped behind the bar. Of course we had a big night, or maybe it just seemed that way. By closing time the only thing holdin' me up was all the coffee I'd had to drink.

"How you gonna get home, Bart?" Logan asked me. I hadn't given it a thought. "I've got a wagon I can hitch a team to, if you don't mind waitin' a few minutes."

"Naw, that's alright with me. I'll just lock up and sit on the bench outside."

"I'll be back soon as I can." That was the last thing I remember until Logan was shakin' me awake. I'd fallen' asleep on the bench that leaned up against the building. "Bart, Bart, wake up." I started to jump to my feet and grab my gun when I heard him say, "Boss, it's me, Logan."

"Sorry, Logan, I fell asleep."

"Bart, why don't you give me the keys and I'll open up at noon. You can stay home and get some rest."

"Thanks, but I'm alright. But if you can come in at noon I can let Doralice go home."

"Alright, boss, whatever you want."

Logan drove me home, and I had to stay awake; he didn't know where he was goin'. By the time we got there I could barely keep my eyes open, and I kinda staggered into the house. Doralice was in bed asleep and I got undressed as quietly as I could. I lay down beside her and before you could say 'Bart Maverick' I was asleep, too.

The next morning Doralice tried to get up without waking me, but it didn't work. As soon as she moved out of my arms my eyes were open. "Tryin' to sneak off without me, huh?"

"You need more sleep. I know what time it was when you came home. You can't keep goin' like this, Bart."

"I don't see any way around it, babe. Until we get a bartender I've got no choice. Logan's comin' in at noon and you're comin' home. You drive the buggy in today and I'll ride Baron. That way we can both get home."

"But I . . . "

"No but's about it. You need rest." I had that tone in my voice that told her not to argue.

"Can't Lucien do any of the ranch work? Or Maudie?"

"Maudie is already doin' some of the work, but I suppose I could give her more. Lucien is capable, but not trained. And I don't have time to train him."

"Can Bret do any of the work?" Doralice was tryin' her best to find a way out for me.

"Same as Lucien. Capable but not trained."

She had one more trick up her sleeve. "What about Mama doin' it again, just until you can get a bartender?"

"Babe, I appreciate the suggestion, but your mama can't do the work anymore. She's gotten too old, and her eyesight's too bad." While we were havin' this conversation I was shavin' and gettin' dressed. I didn't feel as bad as I did yesterday; of course, who knew how long that would last. Especially with me tryin' to do ranch work when I wasn't busy at the bar. But I was determined that Doralice get some rest today. I'd almost lost her once when Tim was born, and I had no intention of ever gettin' that close again. No matter the price I had to pay.

"Stubborn. You're just stubborn." And just to emphasize her meaning, she stamped her foot. As if I wouldn't know she was talkin' about me.

"Yes, ma'am, that I am. I should think you'd be used to it by now."

"Sometimes you're just . . . just . . . "

"What, pig-headed? Stubborn as a mule? Impossible to get along with? Yes I am, all those things. And you love me anyway. So until the day I collapse with exhaustion we're gonna do this my way. And that means you drive the buggy in and I ride Baron, and when Logan comes in at noon, you're comin' home. I won't have you so tired that you drop from exhaustion. You're too important to me to risk your health. Understand?"

"And what about you, and your health? What am I supposed to do while I watch you run yourself into the ground? The very things you're accusing me of doin', you're doin' to yourself."

I tied my tie and slipped my coat on, not answering her. "Come on, we're gonna be late. I'm not arguin' with you about this again."

I went out to the barn and hitched the horses up to the buggy while Lucien saddled Baron for me. Then I rode Baron up to the house and Lucien brought the buggy. Doralice climbed in and took the reins, then flicked the horses with the whip and took off like the devil himself was chasin' her. Needless to say, there was no exchange of pleasantries on the way to the saloon. Once we got inside she offered me a bargain. "I'll go home at noon if you'll promise to be home by midnight."

"Alright, I can do that."

"You promise me?""

"I promise." And I fully intended to keep my promise. I really did. And there was a very good reason I didn't. I was talkin' to a potential bartender.


	8. Frustration

Chapter 8 – Frustration

The name was Victor Freeman, and it sounded like he might work. He'd tended bar at The Providence Club in Claytonville before moving to Little Bend to be near his family. After I talked to him for about half an hour I realized he'd only been an assistant at the saloon and didn't have enough know-how to handle the bar by himself. I needed somebody with bartender experience, not somebody that needed to be taught.

By the time I got home it was almost two o'clock and my wife was awake and plenty mad. "You promised you'd be home by midnight. What happened?"

"Sorry. I was talkin' to somebody that worked at The Providence Club. He was applyin' for the job."

"Did you hire him?"

"Couldn't. I need somebody with experience, and he'd only been an assistant bartender."

"Bart, let me open up tomorrow. You stay home and get some sleep."

"I can't, Doralice. We've got a shipment comin' in tomorrow and I have to help unload. You can't do that."

"You're killing yourself. You need help."

"I know, babe. I'm tryin' to find some."

She seemed to give up. "Alright, go to bed."

I got undressed and got in bed. She crawled in next to me and murmured quietly, "I'm only tryin' to keep you alive."

"I know, blue-eyes. I know." I was asleep in minutes and never heard a thing all night. When I opened my eyes it was daylight, and Doralice was gone. I rolled over and looked at my watch, which was laying on a table next to the bed. Nine o'clock! I couldn't believe my eyes. Doralice had gotten out of bed and I'd slept right through it.

I jumped out of bed and got dressed. Since I was going to be unloading a wagon today I could get away without shaving. Five minutes later I was out of the house and running for the barn. I saddled Baron as fast as I could and jumped on him. Usually we took a leisurely trot into town; not this morning. Poor Baron, I rode him like hell was after us and got to town in about half the normal time. I hitched him to the railing out front and ran in the door. Doralice was behind the bar washin' glasses and I could hear somebody in the back unloading.

"Why did you let me sleep?"

"Don't worry, it's all under control. I explained to Russ that you were home sick and he offered to do the unloading for me."

"Doralice . . . "

"I don't care, Bart. If you're not gonna take care of yourself, I'm gonna hafta do it for you."

There was no use arguing, so I went back outside and took Baron down to the livery. "George, can you take care of Baron? I rode him hard to get here today."

"Sure, Bart. No problem." George was the owner of the livery, and a good man.

I walked back over to Maude's and poured myself a cup of coffee. From there I went straight to the office and started workin' on the bank deposit for yesterday. I had it finished by the time Logan got there, and started on checking the shipment. Once that was finished I went out front to see what Lidia had left for lunch. Bless her heart, she had beef sandwiches, and I took one and some coffee and went back to the office. There was virtually no ranch work so I started on the saloon reports.

Logan called me out about four o'clock with both good news and bad news. His friend had decided not to move to Little Bend, but there was a man out front wantin' to apply for the job of bartender. I had Doralice talk to him first, then she told me he might have enough experience and wanted me to talk to him. His name was Henry Stanton.

"Tell him the position's been filled," I told her.

"Why?"

"Because he worked for Benny White over at the Little Bend Bar for a month and Benny fired him for stealin'. We don't need him here."

Doralice nodded her head. "You're right, that kind of trouble we don't need."

I went back to working on the saloon reports and had them about finished by midnight. I went out to the bar and there was nobody in the saloon but Doralice and Logan. "I'm lockin' the doors," I told them both. "Let's get this place cleaned up." We were done by one o'clock. When I locked the doors behind us I turned to my wife. "I'm goin' home with you. Baron can reside in the luxury of the livery for one night."

"That means you have to go in early tomorrow."

"So be it."

That was easier to say at one in the morning than it was the following afternoon. I was worn out by four o'clock, so I was surprised when I looked up and found my brother standin' in the doorway to my office."What are you doin' here?" I asked him as soon as I looked up.

"I came in person so you'd know I was serious."

"Oh dear. Sounds like Doralice has been tellin' on me again." I tried to make it sound humorous, but that's exactly what had been goin' on.

"I'm gonna be here by nine o'clock tomorrow, and I expect you to show me all the reports for the ranch, so I can start doin' at least half of them."

"Bret, I . . . "

"I know, little brother, you don't need any help. You've been stubborn like that your entire life. Well, I don't care if you need my help or not, you're gonna get it. Doralice told me the hours you been keepin', and it can't go on. You're gonna kill yourself and then all I'll have is a grave instead of a brother. And I couldn't stand that. So be prepared to be the teacher in the morning."

"Bret . . . "

"No, Bart, I ain't gonna argue with you. I'm gonna be here, no matter what, and I'm gonna do most of those reports, from now on. That's all there is to it."

"Bret, will you please shut up and let me talk? It took me long enough, but I agree with you. I need help. You know me, I ain't ever gonna admit to bein' overwhelmed, but that I am. Overwhelmed, I mean. I'll be glad to teach you the reports for the ranch so I can concentrate on the saloon; at least until I can find a General Manager."

"Well, I'm glad you finally got some sense into your head. Now, the next time you decide you can do everything . . . "

"I'll remember that I can't."

"If you forget that I'll just hafta pound some sense into your head. And remember, I'm still bigger than you are."

I got up from behind the desk and threw my arms around him. "I don't ever forget that, big brother."

"Alright, now, let go of me." Bret was laughin', and pretty soon I was, too.


	9. Help!

Chapter 9 – Help!

Just as he promised, Bret was there at nine the next morning. I was surprised how quickly he caught on to everything, and by noon we agreed that he'd come back tomorrow for the rest of it. Plus I was curious to see how much he retained overnight.

Once again my brother surprised me. There were only one or two things that he forgot overnight, and they were little things. We went ahead with the training and finished up around three o'clock, just in time for Logan to come in. Bret and Logan hadn't met, so I introduced them and they shook hands. "I see the family resemblance," Logan remarked.

"Yeah, there is that," Bret answered back.

"Except I'm prettier," I told the both of them.

"Look, I don't know about you, but I'm starvin'. How about I take the three of us to a late lunch. Been a long time since we did that, son," my brother told me.

"I shouldn't, but I will. Doralice, honey, can you handle it while we go eat?"

She snorted, she was laughing so hard. "Can I handle it? You forget, Mr. Maverick, that I held down this bar before you ever saw it."

"When we come back, I want you to go home. Logan and me will take care of the rowdy boys tonight."

The three of us walked down to Mamacita's and got a table. This time of the day there wasn't too much of a problem with that, and in just a few minutes we'd ordered. When the plates were brought out, Logan took one look at what Bret had on his and his eyes sort of bugged out. "Are you gonna eat all that?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, every bit of it," my big brother replied, licking his lips.

"Sorry, Logan, I forgot to tell you. The whole family eats that way . . . except me. I'm the lightweight."

"Boy that's a lotta food." Logan was obviously impressed.

"That's nothin'. You oughtta see what he does to a mound of bacon."

That's the way the whole meal went. Logan couldn't get over Bret's appetite. When we got back to the saloon, he was still raving about the amount of food my brother could put away. "And he had this giant plate of food . . . "

"I know, Logan. I've been feedin' this family for years."

I called Doralice over to me and wrapped my arms around her. "Go on home, honey. I'm comin' home by midnight. I'm gonna let Logan close up."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Take the buggy. I've still got Baron down at the livery."

She kissed me, and I kissed her back. My kiss was decidedly more sensuous than hers was. "Is that a promise?" she asked me.

"You betcha," I replied.

"Look at the two of them, just like teenagers. Disgusting." That was from my brother.

"Don't be fooled, Logan. When him and Ginny kiss they're exactly the same way."

"Speakin' of Ginny . . . I think I better go home to her."

"Good to meet you, Bret. Sounds like you've got some family."

Bret just laughed and him and Logan shook hands. "Don't let him work you too hard, Logan."

"I'll try not to."

Doralice and Bret left, and I went behind the bar. It was a busy night, but it passed quickly. Logan came behind the bar with me, and for somebody that had never worked as a bartender before, he picked it up real quickly. By the end of the night he was fairly well-trained.

Me and Doralice came in at nine o'clock the next morning. My attitude was a lot different than it had been just two short days ago. I didn't have to worry about the ranch work anymore; all I had to take care of was the saloon. Now I needed to find two things: a bartender and a General Manager.

Days went by, with no success at either position. Once upon a time there were a lot of men that wanted to be a bartender. Not now, it seemed. And then, one afternoon, I finally struck gold.

His name was Walter Adams and, according to him, it had been a long time since he'd tended bar. But he had done it, and he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. He was originally from Kansas; he'd been in Texas about ten years. He was just riding through town when he stopped at Sawyer's for something to eat and saw the ad in the paper. He figured Little Bend was as good a place as any to live, as long as you had a job, and there was one right there in The Gazette. So he came down to Maude's to see what it was all about.

"Sure is a fine-lookin' saloon, Mr. Maverick. Is there really a Maude around?"

"I would say so, Mr. Adams. She's my mother-in-law."

"What's the hours of work?" He asked the question casually like he was just trying to satisfy his curiosity.

"Staring time is three o'clock. When we stay open until three in the morning, that's quittin' time. If there's no business, whoever's in charge can close up as early as midnight." Logan came over to the bar and I introduced them. "Logan's the Night Floor Manager, the Head bartender's Willie James. He was injured and he's not able to work right now. When he comes back the two of you will be together from three until whatever time Willie decides to go home. I leave that decision up to him. Willie's been with Maude's a long time."

"Sounds like a good place to be. I'd like to work here if you'll have me. It'll just take a day or so for me to brush up on everything and learn Maude's prices. And I can start right away. If that's alright with you, of course."

"Do you go by Walter or Walt?" I asked him.

"Walt, Mr. Maverick."

"Well, Walt, I'm Bart. My wife has been runnin' the bar since Willie got hurt, so come on in tomorrow and she can show you the ropes. Her name is Doralice. I'm still lookin' for a General Manager, so things might change a little when I hire someone. You didn't ask about salary."

"Lookin' at a classy place like this Mr. . . Bart, I don't think I have to worry about bein' paid a fair wage."

"That you don't," Logan told him.

"Alright, Walt, come on in at three o'clock tomorrow and we'll get you started."

We shook hands. "Thanks, Bart. I'll be here."

I took a good look at him as he finished his coffee and turned to walk out the doors. I'd say he was about my age, not quite as tall, with reddish brown hair and a pleasant face. His clothes were neat and clean, and he had a firm handshake. "Whatta ya think, Logan? Can you work with him?"

"Sure, Bart. He seems like a nice fella."

"We'll see how well he does behind the bar tomorrow. I gotta get out of here. I promised Doralice I'd be home early.

"Tell her you hired a bartender and see what she says."

"I'm sure she'll be delighted."

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	10. The Worm Turns at Last

Chapter 10 – The Worm Turns at Last

When Walt got there at three o'clock I introduced him to Doralice. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Maverick."

"Doralice, please. And may I call you Walt?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's been a while since I tended bar, but I remember most everything. Just tell me whatever you can about the way Maude's operates."

I left them together at the bar and returned to the office. I put Logan to work taking inventory so I could place the liquor order and returned to the monthly report I was preparing for Maude. For the first time in weeks I felt calm and well-rested, like the load I'd been carryin' was gone. That wasn't quite true, of course. I had no guarantee that Walt would work out as our night bartender, and I still didn't have a general manager. But it seemed like things were headed in the right direction.

By six that evening Logan had finished checking our supply inventory, and I brought him into the office to teach him the ins and outs of the liquor ordering. Then I explained the rest of the process to him; what to check when the supplies arrived and what reports had to be completed. Once again I was impressed by how quickly he seemed to catch on, and I turned that part of the job over to him, with my oversight.

I spent the rest of the evening moving the work I was still doing to one of the back offices. It was my intention to give the middle office to Logan when I gave him keys to the place, and I wanted to get it cleaned out. I'd heard nothing from Doralice all afternoon and evening, so I assumed that Walt was getting the job done. Once I finished moving my work I went out to the bar to see how things were and I didn't have to ask. Doralice was sittin' at a table drinking coffee, with a big smile on her face. Walt was behind the bar by himself.

I poured myself some coffee and sat down next to my wife.

"I take it he's doin' alright," I remarked.

"Better than alright," she answered. "I went over the prices with him and he never looked back."

"So you're tellin' me we got ourselves a night bartender."

"Yes. And he seems to have a real cool head on his shoulders. One of the cowboys made a rude remark to me and Walt shut him down without makin' the cowboy mad. And you know that ain't easy."

"Good. It's about time we caught a break."

"Now, if he's just dependable and honest," Doralice added.

Those were the questions, weren't they? The only thing that would give us those answers was time. Time we didn't have. So what was left? Cross our fingers and pray. "There's no sense in us stayin' here, Doralice. If Walt has problems he can go to Logan. Those two have to learn to work together, anyway. Let's go home."

"Let me tell Walt."

"Alright, I'll tell Logan."

On the way home I asked Doralice if she thought the kids would know who we were. She wasn't sure, and neither was I. Maudie made some jokes about only recognizing us because there was a picture of the whole family, including us. It did seem like forever since we'd been home when it was daylight outside. We actually stayed in bed until almost eight o'clock, and then felt guilty for doing it.

There was a surprise waiting for us when we got to work. A telegram had come late last night and Johnny just left it for us. I read it over once, then again, before I handed it to Doralice. It was from Jody. _'Bart – Is the job of General Manager still open? If it is, I want it. Beck agrees. Let me know. Love, Jody.'_

"What do you think this means?" I asked in a dumbfounded state.

"Exactly what it says, Bart. Go send her a wire and tell her the job is hers."

" . I gotta talk to Simon first."

"Then get out of here and go talk to him."

I practically ran up the street to Simon's office. I happened to catch him just going in the front door. "Simon, remember when I asked you if you wanted a partner, and we thought Jody and Beckham would come out here, and then she turned the job down?"

Simons started laughing. "Bart, slow down. Breathe. Has she changed her mind?"

I handed him the telegram and then bent over with my hands on my knees. Simon was right, I needed to slow down. I really was gettin' old. "Whatta you think? Still need . . . a partner?"

A smile slowly spread across Simon's face. As if he was thinkin' about . . . nights at home with his family. When he shifted his gaze to me he was grinnin' from ear to ear. "You bet I do. Beckham Dooley's got a job waiting for him."

That was all I needed to hear. Soon as I caught my breath I went straight to the telegraph office and sent Jody a reply. _'Job is yours. Partnership with Doc Petry too. Hurry. Love always, Bart.'_

Once I got back to the saloon I worked on yesterday's bank deposit. I was finished and had the deposit ready to go when Logan came in at three o'clock. "How'd they do last night?" Doralice asked me.

"They were outta balance . . . by two cents."

"Not bad for their first night."

I had to agree with my wife. "Not bad at all."

When Logan and Walt got to work, I sent the deposit south and I headed north . . . to Willie and Violet's place. I found Willie sittin' out on the porch. He looked good . . . almost ready to come back to work. I gave him the good news about Walt first and then I surprised him with the news about Jody. "You'll love workin' for her, Willie. Everybody does. And I think you and Walt are gonna be fine."

"I sure am ready to come back to work, boss."

"Violet drivin' you crazy?"

"Nope. Just the opposite. I'm drivin' her crazy."

"Well, I think you'll enjoy Walt. He's good and solid. Just like you are. And no more jumpin' in front of bullets, hear me?"

"Yes, sir. I promise."

I had a big smile on my face when I got back to the saloon. Doralice took one look at me and asked, "Just what are you up to?"

"Oh, nothin'. I'm just happy that things are finally fallin' into place. Willie says he'll be back at work soon, and Jody and Beckham will be in Little Bend before we know it, and all this insanity will finally be over. I'm assumin' that Jody and Beck will want to live in the house. It's gonna seem positively empty with only two little ones livin' there."

"You've miscounted, darling. There will be three little ones livin' there."

"Oh, did they get a dog?"

"No, gamblin' man. They got Bartley James Dooley." She was holding up a letter that had come to the house yesterday.

"So when Jody said they couldn't come out here 'at this time,' she really meant . . ."

"Yes," my wife told me smugly, "she was gettin' ready to have baby number three."

"Bartley James Dooley, eh? That's got a nice ring to it."

Doralice laughed as she followed me back to the office. "I thought so, too. They should be out here in about four weeks, honey. That gives us just enough time to get the house cleaned and fixed up."

"Wrong," I replied. "That gives us just enough time to pay somebody to clean the house. And we can get Pauly to make sure everything's in workin' order."

"I like the way you think."


	11. Much Anticipated Arrival

Chapter 11 – Much Anticipated Arrival

It was almost four weeks to the day when Beckham and Jody's wagon rolled into Little Bend. They came straight to Maude's and pulled up at the front of the saloon. After all the huggin' and kissin' was over, Doralice and me got introduced to the littlest Dooley's – Jamie Lee, who was five, Georgia Jessalyn, all of three, and Bartley James, who was the newborn.

"I can't believe we're finally here," Jody proclaimed. Beck nodded. The two oldest children just babbled for a few minutes while we gathered ourselves together and took the family up the street to their new home. "Oh, my, it's a beautiful house."

"Well, you'll have plenty of room here," Doralice told Jody as she showed her the place. I took Beck and the kids out to the back yard, where the chicken coop had been repaired and stocked with chickens.

"You'll have fresh eggs every morning," I told Beck. Pauly had even managed to procure a cow.

"And fresh milk," Beck added.

"Both important when you have three little ones. See that back entrance three doors down?" I asked, and Beck nodded. "That's Simon Petry's office, where you'll be working. And farther on down is the back entrance to Maude's. So this house is really convenient to both places."

"I can't tell you how much this means to both of us, Bart. Jody was going crazy with the winters in Silver Creek. And the situation with Doctor Petry is perfect."

"You'll like Simon. He's a good soul." The kids were having a ball playin' in the yard. "Might as well let 'em play, Beck. Maybe they'll get worn out."

He laughed. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

We went inside and I was surprised to find Lily Mae there. "I wanted to come help for a few days to get them settled," she explained.

I introduced Lily to Beck and he kissed the back of her hand. "I've heard so many good things about you over the years, Miss Lily. I am honored that you came to help out."

Lily Mae actually blushed. "I already told Mrs. Dooley that I would help her find a housekeeper."

"Please, Lily, it's Jody and Beck. And that would be wonderful, if you could help Jody find someone. I'm sure Bart wants Jody down at Maude's as soon as possible."

"No, sir, he wants her faster than that," she explained to him, and we all laughed.

Jody and Doralice reappeared. "Goodness, this house is wonderful." Jody slipped her arm through mine. "Come on, old man, show me Maude's."

"That can wait until tomorrow, Jody. You need to get settled in here first."

"You sure, Bartley?"

I cringed visibly. "Yes, Jody, as long as you can remember that my name here is Bart. Just plain old Bart. Please."

"Alright plain old Bart. What time do you want me at the saloon tomorrow morning?"

"How about nine o'clock? That's when Willie comes in. He's your head bartender." Willie had started back to work two weeks ago. He wasn't completely healed, but Violet couldn't stand to have him at home anymore. He and Walt liked each other right away, and became fast friends. I was sure that Willie and Jody would get along, too. She was just like me when it came to being fair to employees, especially when they worked as hard as Willie.

"Lily Mae is going to stay here through Saturday, and we want you and Beck and the children to come out to the ranch for supper Sunday night. If you don't have a housekeeper by Saturday we'll work something out for next week."

"Thank you, Doralice, I appreciate the help. Things will be a little hectic for a while, but we'll get them worked out."

"You have no idea how happy we are to have you here, Jody. We wanna do everything we can to help get you off on the right foot."

Jody came over and wrapped herself around me, the way she used to in Silver Creek. "Well, Big Brother, at least now we're all in one place."

"Yes, ma'am, we are, and we're gonna stay that way." I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "This is a real special person you married, Beck."

"Don't I know it, Bart."

Just then the back door opened and Jamie Lee and Georgia came inside. "We're hungry, mama," Jamie Lee pleaded.

Lily Mae took over. "You two come with me and we'll fix you some lunch."

Doralice told Jody, "We brought some food up today when we brought Lily Mae over. It should keep you goin' for a few days."

"Good, then we can put the house together today."

"Me and Doralice are gonna stay and help so I can have you at work tomorrow," I told Jody.

I had my General Manager, and it was the one I wanted. Now all our lives could go on with the whole Maverick clan all in the same place. At last.

_the end_

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